You've gotten dressed for this big fancy wedding, you made it on time, you haven't tripped over your dress or shoes, and now it's time for the reception. Have you ever sat down at a reception dinner only to realize that they are eating a formal meal, and there are WAY more forks on the table than you're accustomed to? Never fear, Historic Pinecrest is here! No matter how many forks, spoons, knives and random utensils you find at your place setting, we're going to help you start decoding what they are for, and how to look like you know what you're doing through this wedding season.
Not the Napkins!
One of the first things you'll approach will be the napkin at your place setting. When you have seated yourself, you will gently take the napkin from the table, unfold it, and then lay it in your lap. If the dinner is REALLY fancy there may be a waiter who takes the napkin from the table and places it on your lap. If you need to get up, you can loosely fold the napkin, and place to the right or left of your plate, and when the meal is down you can leave the napkin semi-folded on the left side of the place setting.
Silverware, Dinnerware, and Glasses, OH MY!
When all else fails, remember that you always start from the outside and work your way in. The fork on the outside will be your salad fork, the spoon on the outside is your soup spoon. The next fork is your dinner fork, the next spoon is your teaspoon. The final fork will be your dessert fork, it will either be on the left side of your plate or occasionally above your plate depending on how the table was set. The final piece on the right side of your setting is the dinner knife, and it is not supposed to be used as your butter spreader. You should find a small bread and butter plate with a butter spreader to the upper left of your plate. If there is soup, you'll find the soup bowl on top of your dinner plate, and now, you've successfully navigated your fancy silverware!
Have you ever been halfway through a meal only to realize that you've been drinking out of someone else's glass? You're not alone, so here is a little tip to help you out: eat to your left, drink to your right. Any food dish to the left is yours, and any glass to the right is yours.
Formal Eating
The American style of eating says that you keep your knife in the right hand, fork in the left hand holding your food. After a few bite-sized pieces of food are cut, place the knife on the edge of your plate with the blades facing in. Once the pieces have been cut, you will switch your fork to the right hand (unless you're left-handed, of course).
The Continental/European style is a bit different, and while we are an event center in Colorado Springs, it's always nice to know the other way of doing things. You keep the knife in your right hand, fork in your hand, and you will continue to eat with your fork in the left hand and not switch over. If you take a drink, both utensils will be put down, not just the knife.
Preparing For a Formal Wedding Reception
We hope that you feel adequately prepared to handle the most formal of dining situations and that you enjoy the reception and food so much, the forks and knives aren't even a concern for you. Every event will be different, and many times you will find less silverware than we've discussed. At Historic Pinecrest, we look forward to hosting you at our beautiful wedding chapel in Colorado Springs, and if you are a bride looking the perfect Colorado Springs wedding venue, we would love to show you why ours is exceptional.
A Beautiful Wedding Awaits...
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